Strange But True Category
Weird, offbeat and bizarre news from around the world. Funny, strange & odd news stories that make you wince, laugh and fear for humanity.
Shaggy Cat Tale
‘WHEN cats arent tearing the heads off wildlife they seem to spend much of their time on a spin cycle.
Adding to the spate of cat washings of recent weeks, we hear the tale of 15-year-old Frankie, a ball of fur that ended up in Stuart Wardens washing machine.
The pub landlord, who runs the Swan Inn at Whissonsett, Norfolk, claims he accidentally threw his wife’s kitten into the washing machine along with a pile of dirty towels.
The ex-fireman, said: ‘Frankie was quite stiff but I thought I’d try mouth-to-mouth respiration. The vet said it probably saved his life.’
And if he does it again to use some fabric conditioner ’
Posted: 27th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
A McBomb
‘IN America, the customer is always right and when Pedro Garza and brothers Joshua and Nathaniel Hackey got a bad milkshake at a McDonald’s restaurant in North Lakeland, Florida, they were understandably aggrieved.
So, they returned to the restaurant a few days later and set off an improvised bomb as revenge.
Investigators say the men mixed toilet bowl cleaner and aluminium foil in a plastic drinks bottle, capped the bottle and left the restaurant, with the concoction still sitting on the table.
It exploded some time later. No-one was injured and no damage was done to the restaurant, but the three miscreants are up on a felony charge.
There is no truth in the rumour that McDonalds are considering adding the mixture to its menu.’
Posted: 24th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Dirndl Draw
‘THE latest edition of Playboy has sold out in Germany after featuring pictures of naked barmaids.
The October edition of the magazine marks the start of the Oktoberfest with a special beer festival edition with topless girls carrying jugs of beer and wearing traditional Alpine dirndl dresses.
The combination was too alluring for Teutonic manhood and the magazine has apparently been flying off the shelves.
Female visitors who want to make sure they fit in during this years festival can hire an authentic, historic dirndl dress online.
Munich costume designer Ute Klimke and stylist Bettina Richter have launched an online rent-a-dirndl service.
It is up to the woman themselves whether they wear the dirndl with their breasts in or out.’
Posted: 23rd, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Dirndl Draw
‘THE latest edition of Playboy has sold out in Germany after featuring pictures of naked barmaids.
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| ‘Pork scratchings?’ |
The October edition of the magazine marks the start of the Oktoberfest with a special beer festival edition with topless girls carrying jugs of beer and wearing traditional Alpine dirndl dresses.
The combination was too alluring for Teutonic men and the magazine has apparently been flying off the shelves.
Female visitors who want to make sure they fit in during this years festival can hire an authentic, historic dirndl dress online.
Munich costume designer Ute Klimke and stylist Bettina Richter have launched an online rent-a-dirndl service.
It is up to the woman themselves whether they wear the dirndl with their breasts in or out.’
Posted: 22nd, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’
‘INDIAN holy man Baba Mohan Das is to journey 600 miles from his home to Lahore in Pakistan to meet the country’s president rolling all the way.
The man, who is popularly known as the ”rolling saint” because of his habit of rolling on the roads, wants to meet President Pervez Musharraf to congratulate him for his efforts to build peace between the two countries.
”I am doing this rolling pilgrimage for world peace, end of terrorism and friendly relations between India and Pakistan,” he said.
Mohan Das, from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, has already rolled thousands of miles across India.
He doesn’t eat during his rolling sessions but only sips water and smokes an occasional cigarette.
Roll-ups, we imagine ’
Posted: 21st, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Wings Of Love
‘BRITNEY Spears is not the only person who served chicken wings at her wedding Jason and Nina Payne held their wedding reception at the local Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The couple married at Southend register office and then headed with 26 guests to the town’s KFC. There, they tucked into crispy chicken wings, drumsticks, fries and cola.
Mum-of-two Nina, 36, said: ‘We don’t like all that poshness, so thought we’d have a KFC bucket. It was lovely.’
And 34-year-old groom Jason, who toasted his bride with a fizzy cola, said: ‘We just fancied doing something different.’
Whats wrong with Burger King?’
Posted: 20th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Immaculate Conception
‘KARENS religious conversion is about as likely as the original material girl, Madonnas new-found love of Kabbalah.
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| ‘C’mon, here’s the sample jar. Fill it up’ |
Both of them are better known for their foul mouths and inability to keep their clothes on rather than being great spiritual leaders.
Madge is trying to change her image by donating millions and writing childrens books Karen McDonald has taken to wearing a shapeless black t-shirt and given up pints of bitter. Well, everyones got to start somewhere.
Karens religious mania has taken everyone, especially her long-suffering husband Steve completely by surprise. Karen gleefully gave Emily a collecting tin full of cash that shed raised by harassing people until they gave in (shades of the old Karen still lingering then).
Thats er, most generous of you Karen, stuttered Emily, clearly convinced that Karen must have robbed a bank or done (yet another) photo shot for Readers Wives.
Tracy was determined to crack Karens new holier than thou veneer and gleefully told her that Steve had been paying her fifty pounds a week for the upkeep of Amy. Karen simply responded by telling Steve he should be giving her even more.
Karen did break down, however, when she saw Steve holding baby Amy for the first time. Me mam was right, sobbed Karen. I am an evil, bad person. To wish a little baby were dead
Poor Steve has now even more to worry about as Karen casually announced to both him and Tracy that she was going to have a baby of her own. Steve is especially shocked, as the pair havent slept together for weeks. Perhaps Karen really is the second Virgin Mary.
Elsewhere on The Street, Ciarans new restaurant finally opened after Penny King stumped up the extra £20,000 he needed.
You can bet shes wishing she hadnt now as McCarthys opened to a crowd of precisely five and one of those was Roy, keen to ensure that the restaurant was a failure.
Strangely, Ciarans Thai-Irish fusion food concept hasnt gone down terribly well in Weatherfield.
Ciaran was further disheartened when Tracy didnt show up on the opening night. She told him shed had trouble getting a baby sitter but the reality was she was waiting in at home in case Steve came to her.
Hell come home to us one day, she told baby Amy, whilst rocking and drooling Tracy that is, not baby Amy.
More Street madness this week as Mayas returned, determined to have her pound of flesh (or should that be kilo in these new EU days?).
She and Leanne have hatched up a plan to take Dev to court for sexual harassment. Dev had given Leanne a job in the corner shop which lasted precisely two shifts after she pinned him up against the frozen goods aisle and tried to kiss him.
Leanne, however, is as truthful as a politician and promptly told everyone shed been fired when she rejected Devs advances.
Do you seriously think Id touch that? sneered Dev to Sunita, who was concerned about the rumours. Dev doesnt have the best track record with his staff, however, after sleeping with one (Deirdre) and getting engaged to another (Sunita).
No wonder Todds leaving for London later this week.’
Posted: 20th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Turkey Shoot
‘I AM happy and proud that I can get Turkey into the record book, said builder Ilker Yilmaz. And so he should be its not everyday you snort milk up your nose and squirt it out your left eye to a distance of 2.795 metres, an unofficial world record. Is it?
I learnt that I had such a talent. says 28-year-old Yilmaz. When I was swimming, I noticed water squirting out of my eye. Not many people are capable of this feat, since it relies on an abnormality in the tear duct. Even less would ever want to do it.’
Posted: 17th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Dont Snap!
‘DAVID Havenner and Nancy Monico were boyfriend and girlfriend. And like any lovers they had their share of rows. Only when Havenner lost it, he didnt smash the house up or hurl and ashtray at Monicos head.
Instead, he took hold of his 3ft pet alligator and swung it in anger. Nancy duly filed a complaint.
And, after a brief court case, he was jailed for six months. The alligator was later released into the St Johns River.’
Posted: 16th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
The Spidermen Of Grafton
‘PRISON is hard. And in Australia – itself an expansive and sunburned version of Alcatraz – its even harder.
So inmates at Inmates Grafton maximum security prison in New South Wales state set about looking for escape.
But, finding the doors locked, they looked to at least free their minds. So they began breeding deadly redback spiders.
When ripe, these critters were milked for venom, the poison as diluted with water and the concoction then injected.’
Posted: 15th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Cat On A Hot Spin Cycle
‘IF cats arent clawing at your furniture, killing wildlife and shoving the backsides into your face, theyre getting into mischief.
And Toreilles, a 15-month-old tabby, is no exception. Having snuck out of his home, he went looking for adventure in a neighbours house.
And there, he climbed into a washing machine and fell asleep among a load of dirty laundry. Then the machine was switched on. The cycle lasted 60-minutes at 40C.
Toreilles owner Debbie Sainsbury, 44, said: ‘Apparently he just dropped out when the door opened. He couldn’t walk but was purring and very much alive – now he’s looking better every day. I think he definitely lost one his nine lives – he’s a very lucky cat.”
Posted: 14th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Hit And Run Out Of Luck
‘SO much for Teutonic efficiency.
When a German driver slammed his vehicle into another car near Loerrach in southern Germany, he made good his escape.
Only he didnt plan his route well enough and ended up getting lost. So he slowed down and asked for directions from two passers by as they were climbing into their patrol car. And, coincidentally, they were about to go looking for him.
A police spokesman said: ‘We informed the suspect he had found where he needed to go – and we also thanked him for saving us a lot of time and effort.”
Posted: 13th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
What’s The Special?
‘IF youre looking for a good feed and a bride into the bargain, may we recommend Nicolae Taches restaurant in the Romanian town of Eforie Sud.
So far, 12 waitresses have resigned after being proposed to by male customers and Tache has had enough.
He said he was fed up with training staff only to have them marry men who they had met at his restaurant, and he could not replace them as quickly as they were being proposed to.
‘These 12 girls let me down when I least expected it, he said. It’s as if this year I had a marriage agency and not a restaurant as a business.
Tache has put up a notice asking guests to stop marrying his waitresses and is thinking of hiring all male waiters.
‘What annoys me, he said, is that when they came to me for jobs they were almost begging me to hire them because they were all so poor.
‘And then overnight they turn from Cinderellas into princesses.’
And leave him holding the pumpkin…’
Posted: 10th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
In God’s Name
‘AFTER experiencing Jack Duckworths cross-dressing experiment, it seemed that there was nowhere more ludicrous for the Street to go. But less than a week later weve now got Karen McDonald having some sort of road to Damascus style religious conversion.
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| ‘And God created us in his own image’ |
Me wifes found religion, Ive been forced into celibacy and the highlight of our social calendar now is playing scrabble with Roy and Hayley,’ Steve ranted before storming out to the Rovers.
Karen returned from her magical mystery tour of Rhyl and announced that shed found God Rhyl can do that to people. Apparently, Rhyl is the last place Karen had ever been happy, at aged 7, before her parents found religion.
The very last place I was appy, she told Steve which he must have been delighted to hear. Karens decided that her parents were only trying to do what was best for her and that maybe there was something in this Baby Jesus lark after all.
She is now setting about trying to right the wrongs of her past. Im so sorry for everything, she told Eileen, before insisting on a group hug in the middle of the street.
Next she gave away all her designer clothes to the factory girls. Its better to give than to receive, Steve. Steve is only wishing that Karen would practise what she preaches as shes also imposed a no sex ban while she finds herself.
Not surprisingly, everyone on the Street is finding Karens attempt to turn herself into Mother Theresa a bit hard to swallow. Is she on drugs? Eileen asked Liz.
Steve is finding it all especially difficult to cope with and hes turning to Tracey of all people, for some comfort. We all know what happened last time Tracey comforted Steve over Karen though, dont we? Nine months later little Amy was born.
Tracey is convinced that this means that she and Steve will get back together conveniently forgetting that shes supposed to be going out with Ciaran.
The little minx is even trying to persuade Ciaran to sell the restaurant behind Penny Kings back and for the pair of them to disappear with the fifty grand shed invested.
Ciarans grand plans to open a Thai-Indian fusion restaurant, look like slipping through his fingers. Hes been told he needs another £20,000 to finish the restaurant although, having seen the place, its difficult to see how a few plywood walls and IKEA lamps could possibly have cost that much.
Tracey and Ciaran came up with a plan to try and get some investors. They decided to invite the richest people from the street to a special dinner at the half-finished restaurant and then try and get them to invest.
Tracey even put on her French maids outfit something she just happened to have in her wardrobe, although luckily Ciaran was too distracted to ask why. After the meal, which went surprisingly well, Tracey launched an impassioned plea for investment.
And not surprisingly, people werent overly keen to invest poor Tracey, youd think by now shed have learnt to always ask for the money up front.’
Posted: 10th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Life Behind Bars
‘FORGET about popping down to the pub while your wife cooks the dinner men in Bihar, a part of India, could face up to three years in jail if they are caught drinking without written permission from their wives.
The proposal is part of a women’s empowerment by the Bihar Women’s Commission, which says it would liberate women from the mental torture of their men returning home after drinking heavily and ‘creating scenes’.
‘Women must be empowered to save themselves from their drunk men who torture them bodily and mentally, the BWC report says.
A three-year jail term would be an ideal threat perception for wine-zealots.
The 78-page report has been submitted to Chief Minister Rabri Devi, whose office described the move as a revolutionary step.
Or revolutionary shtep ’
Posted: 9th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
A Dog’s Life
‘OSCAR-winning actress Shirley Maclaine is nothing if not weird she claims to have spent a previous life with her dog Terry in ancient Egypt, to have spotted a number of UFOs and to have had contact with aliens.
‘Terry and I have spent at least one previous life together in ancient Egypt, the 70-year-old said.
She was an animal god and I was a princess.’
She added: ‘I have had paranormal experiences and even contact with other life forms in China, Russia and Egypt. I saw a number of UFOs in Peru.”
Posted: 8th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Saucy Photos
‘JOHN Kerry may be under attack over claims he exaggerated his Vietnam war heroics, but hes got a way to go before he can match Colonel HS Kohli, an Indian soldier who faked his claim for a medal by splashing ketchup on civilians and pretending they were rebels he had killed.
The colonel, who commanded an artillery regiment, is said to have posed civilian staff as dead militants for photographs he used to back up a claim for gallantry medals.
Kohli was found guilty of the deception at a court martial and is expected to be dismissed from service.
The Mirror is believed to be bidding for the exclusive rights to the photos.’
Posted: 7th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Pubic Order
‘IF you want to know whether a woman will be a faithful wife, a good mother and a caring daughter, look at her pubic hair.
Professor Asaki Geino claims the shape of a womans hair is an indication of her personality.
In his thesis, the professor classifies women into five types, with most Japanese women having pubic hair like an ‘inverted triangle’.
‘This type is characterised by faithfulness and fitness for family life, he says. ‘Women of this type are good mothers, faithful wives and caring daughters. I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that precisely this type of woman helped Japan become the glorious country it is.’
On the other hand, women most likely to be unfaithful had pubic hair resembling the ‘mouth of a river’.
‘Usually female pubic hair grows in the form of an upside down triangle, but some women’s is oblong or elliptical in shape,’ he says.
It’s not that rare for women with oblong-shaped pubic hair to fall in love at first sight or fall head-over-heels with passion. They also don’t like sitting at home on their own.’
While their Japanese husbands are out looking at other womens pubic hair ’
Posted: 6th, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Fat And 42
‘NOT all Americans are fat some are obese. And Nicki McRoberts (25 stone) dreams of becoming the fattest of the bunch.
She is taking in 14,000 calories a day in a race against time to reach her ideal weight of 42 stone.
And not only is she married – and still married but her husband has gone out of his way to reinforce shelving to take the extra food.
Nicki outgrows her wardrobe every month and has so far spent £3,000 on new clothes.
She says: ‘It’s not uncommon for me to get excited if I split my pants or a button pops open.
And for those around her to run for their lives ’
Posted: 3rd, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Sleeping Ex-Partner
‘DIVORCE need not always be a painful thing. Take the case of 30-year-old Shahzad Alam and his fragrant wife, 14-year-old Firdause.
The couple from Purana Kasbe, Uttar Pradesh, India, were married last month after a seven-year engagement.
But it was not to last.
And while the child bride was sleeping at her father’s home, her charming husband uttered ‘talaq’ (I divorce you) three times.
The girls father, Israul Mahmood explains. ‘After marriage, Firdause was living at our place, hoping her husband would soon take her to his house. But that did not happen, says he.
‘The groom came one day this week when Firdause was asleep, uttered triple talaq in front of all of us and left. We are in a state of shock.”
Posted: 2nd, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Nowt As Queer As Folk
‘KAREN McDonald is taking the death of her religious loony mum pretty badly. Beneath that hard girl, fishwife exterior simpers a confused and frightened child – admittedly one who smokes rolls ups and dresses like a prostitute.
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| ‘Are you sure I don’t look like my Vera? |
Karens been hitting the bottle with a determination that would make George Best proud and refusing to talk to her husband. Me mams been dead to me fer years, she sneered to Steve. The only way Id go to visit her grave is if someone put a dance floor over it.
The pressure of keeping her grief in finally got too much for her, though, and this week she packed a bag and disappeared. What do yer thinks happened to her? asked a worried Steve to his mum. Shes had a major falling out with Coronation Street producers, Steve, thats what.
But it was a welcome return to Weatherfield for Cilla and Les. The pair went to Blackpool for the weekend, leaving Chesney home alone. Chesney was forced to knock on Tommy Harriss door when the electricity meter ran out.
Yer mean to say yerve been left alone all weekend? Riiighht! stormed the ginger firework. Its difficult to say whod be scarier to face Tommy or Cilla. You wouldnt want to meet either on a dark night. (Well, you know what they say about ginger people – theyre best avoided.)
Cilla didnt bat an eyelid when Tommy accused her of being an unfit mother in the Rovers tell her something she doesnt know. Tommy offered to sell Les an old bike for £50 to give to Chesney to make up for his unfit mother. A £50 old bike? That sounds like a fair exchange for Cilla.
Another old (mad) face returned to Coronation Street except this one kept her return a secret. Maya is back, and shes determined to wreck Sunitas happiness.
Maya broke into Sunitas flat using the key she made several months ago, stole her birth certificate and slipped into a waiting car with a mystery man. You found what you were looking for? he asked her. Oh yes, she smirked. So clearly he cant have been referring to her sanity, then.
To add to the number of lunatics taking over the Weatherfield asylum, new boy Sean moved into the street this week or rather he moved onto Eileen Grimshaws sofa. Sean was a friend of Karls and a friend of Dorothys too darling, he told a bemused Eileen. It means hes gay mam, hissed Todd.
Eileen is many things but homophobic she is not and when she heard that he was homeless, she promptly offered him her sofa. Im wellin up, he told her, fanning himself dramatically, no ones ever shown me such kindness.
The other residents of the street might take a bit longer to get used to Sean, whos camper than an evening spent with Elton John and George Michael at a Village People convention. Mind you, even Jack Duckworth has taken to wearing dresses.’
Posted: 2nd, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Kitten, Heel!
‘CAMBODIAN Te Huot has become a big name in his homeland after his claims that his pet dog gave birth to a kitten.
According to Te Huot, his 10-year-old pet pooch Knou gave birth to a single grey kitten after a forest monk told him that the dog had mated with a tiger.
Te Huot claims the birth is ‘a sign from the gods. Says he: This animal cries like a cat, and its face is like a cat, but its feet are bigger than a cat’s and look more like a dog’s feet.”
Posted: 1st, September 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
No Monkey Business
‘AS anyone who has even watched German goalkeepers will attest, there is but a cigarette papers difference between us humans and our simian cousins.
And often what goes for us, goes for monkey kind too. So when thirteen-year-old Feili, a monkey at the Zhengzhou Zoo, in Henan Province, China, became deeply upset that her husband was unable to meet her demands for sex, she acted like a human and sulked.
And when shes not being in a mood, she spits at visitors and demands cigarettes from them.
Zoo director Lui Bing claims the chimpanzee has turned from ‘a gentle girl’ to a ‘shrew’. She is a real problem for the zoo.”
Posted: 31st, August 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Jack Becomes Jill
‘ITS not unusual to get religious maniacs knocking on your door from time to time; it is unusual, however, to find out the God-botherer on your doorstep is actually your wifes father.
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| Look female, think female, be female |
Steve and Karen were having a typical evening in; he was watching the sport on TV, she was lounging about in expensive underwear, drinking champagne and smoking a Superking.
When the doorbell rang, Karen bullied Steve into answering it. Im not decent babe, she told him. She regretted sending him immediately, however, when a confused Steve came back into the room: Erm, Karen, yer dads at the door.
It turns out that Karen has had nothing to do with her parents for over ten years, as theyre not what youd call normal. In fact, her parents make Cilla and Les seem like parents of the year.
No toys, no TV, no friends, she told Steve. They found religion and they lost their minds, she continued, displaying the sort of sensitivity weve come to know and love her for.
She revealed how at aged 15 her father beat her up while her mother watched when he discovered that shed been watching TV round at her friend Linda Sykes. I walked out and never went back, she told Steve sadly. But dont feel sorry fer me, I aint a victim.
Slowly Steve began to realise that her childhood of poverty and jumble sale clothing was what had turned her into the clothing obsessed, social climber that hed married.
Yer mams dying, Karens creepy father revealed. Youve both been dead to me fer years, Karen retorted, but somehow you knew she was lying.
This is Coronation Street, however, not Walford and depressing storylines arent allowed to dominate the show one of the many reasons why viewers are deserting Walford in droves.
Light relief this week came in the shape of Jack Duckworth in a dress. Jacks bowling team Rovers Ravers have somehow made it through to the grand final and the trophy looked in the bag, thanks to Hayley.
Youve a fine wrist and an even stroke, Jack raved in the pub, giving us perhaps more information than wed care for.
Unfortunately the captain of the other team happened to be in The Rovers at the same time and overheard Sonia telling Frankie: One of us used to be a man, yer know.
Which one? asked Frankie, glancing over to a table containing Deirdre, Liz, Fizz and Janice, Its difficult to tell. Sonia then proceeded to tell or rather shout using her foghorn fishwife voice, the details of Hayleys sex change out in front of everyone in the pub.
The captain of the other team was quick to ensure that Hayley/Harold was taken off the team.
It has been brought to my attention that one of your team used to play under the name of Harold Patterson, she smugly announced in the Rovers. In fact, Mr Pattersons name is still down as a player at the East Lancashire semi-pro team.
Hayley tearfully admitted that it was true – somehow in between losing all my friends and family and having reconstructive surgery I forgot to cancel my membership.
The Rovers Ravers were now a player down and, with only days to go until the final, it looked hopeless until Eileen made a throwaway suggestion. Why doesnt Jack dress up as a woman?
Worryingly, Jack didnt need much persuading to don a frock and wig. How do I look? Jack asked the factory girls after his Mrs Doubtfire-style transformation and for once the girls were speechless.’
Posted: 27th, August 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
Hanging On
‘WE know BT arent great, but theyre better than Romtelcom, Romanias state phone company.
They have just got round to answering Gheorghe Titianu 28 years after he asked them to install a phone.
And then it was to say that there was still no phone line available.
Instead, the company suggested that Mr Titianu, from the northern town of Suceava, fill out another form enclosed with the letter.
‘I’m honoured that the company has not forgotten me after all this time,’ said the patient customer.
Meanwhile, Romtelecom said that far from being a mistake, the letter was ‘nothing out of the ordinary’.’
Posted: 26th, August 2004 | In: Strange But True | Comment
